Low-fat dishes start the year right

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, January 2, 2002

Here in the Food section, we get a huge number of calls, e-mails and letters from readers, and we really appreciate the feedback. Many of the inquiries are about cooking techniques, or sources for ingredients. But a growing number of readers are also requesting more low-fat recipes.

Since 'The Working Cook' focuses on everyday cooking, it seems like the place to start. Plus, it's the new year, that time of resolutions and weary trips to the gym.

I will never be a fat-free cook, just like I'll probably never have a concave stomach. But I've put together a few nourishing recipes with only moderate amounts of fat and lots of delicious seasonal produce.

Today's stuffed acorn squash is a meatless entree that brims with winter vegetables and cold-weather flavors. The key is preroasting the squash to a deep burnished gold, when the flesh turns soft and creamy and has so much flavor it needs little fat.

The orzo pasta stuffing has juicy sauteed spinach and chewy, deep-flavored shiitake mushrooms tossed in a bit of olive oil, fresh sage and Parmesan. It's important to season each component of the recipe to bring out all the flavors.

The turkey breasts with lemony dino kale are another way to play with unusual winter vegetables. Many people don't seem to know what to do with winter greens (we'll have a wealth of tips in next week's cover story), but these vegetables have nuance and nutrients, and are actually easy to cook.

Turkey can easily turn dry, but after the kale simmers until tender its juices provide that little bit of moisture. That should help stave off desires to decorate the plate with a pile of buttered mashed potatoes. Then again, I'd be lying if I said the greens wouldn't go great with mashed potatoes, too.

FAST & FRESH / A main dish in 30 minutes

PAN-ROASTED TURKEY BREASTS WITH LEMONY DINO KALE

You can use dino or any other kind of kale. If you like, serve with boiled, quartered red potatoes, drizzled in the sauce from the kale.

ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH MUSHROOM-SPINACH ORZO

This recipe does not necessarily freeze well, but you can eat some now, and hold the rest for later in the week (see Note). If you can only find large acorn squash, you may need to split it into quarters or thirds lengthwise and use fewer squash.

INGREDIENTS

5 smallish acorn squash, halved lengthwise

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil for the baking sheets

3/4 pound small fresh shiitake or other wild mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle

1 cup chopped shallots

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1/2 teaspoon dried ground sage

12 ounces prewashed and trimmed spinach leaves

1 cup orzo or other small pasta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, or 2 to 3 egg whites, lightly beaten

2/3 cup breadcrumbs

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Scrape out the seeds and membranes from the acorn squash with a large, strong spoon.

Season the flesh generously with salt and pepper (it soaks up a lot of seasoning).

Pick out enough baking sheets to fit all the squash halves in one layer, and grease them with some vegetable oil.

Place the squash cut-side down on the sheets. Roast for 25 minutes, until the cut sides begin to brown.

Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue roasting until the flesh is very soft and dark brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the squash from the oven, but leave the oven on.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.

Trim the mushrooms and sponge them off with a damp cloth if they are dirty, then stem them and quarter them or cut into bite-size pieces.

Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and sage and a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute until the mushrooms are tender and starting to brown, 7-10 minutes.

Add the spinach leaves, a little at a time, and cook until completely wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat.

As the mushrooms cook, cook the pasta according to package directions.

When it is al dente, drain and toss it with the vegetable mixture, the Parmesan cheese and a bit more salt and pepper to season the pasta. Stir in the eggs to bind.

Form a mound of pasta on top of each acorn half, pushing it all in to get as much as you can.

Top each squash with 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, until the pasta is heated through and slightly browned on top.

Serves 10.

Make-ahead note: You can prepare the squash completely, then hold it for three days, refrigerated.

Place in a microwave- and oven-safe container, cover and heat in the microwave on high until hot through the middle, about 7 minutes.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and place under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the top.